Democrat Party (Malivia)
|Seats2 Title = Senate |Seats2 = |Seats3 Title = Provincial Governors |Seats3 = |Website = www.odp.org |politics = Politics of Malivia |political parties = Political parties in Malivia |elections = Elections in Malivia |party_logo = 200px }} The Democrat Party (ÖDP) was a major party in the Malivian Republic. Founded in 3751 by Amir Özarin, the party won a national election for the first time in 3753 and served in government as the dominant force in Malivian politics for the next years. Originally a center-left, pro-democracy organization, the ÖDP gradually moved towards pragmatic syncretism during its first years in power. The party adopted a nationalist and populist rhetoric, and established its primary demographic stronghold in the middle and working classes. The party's abbreviation appearing on Malivian ballot papers was 'ÖDP', which was short for the group's original name, Özarin's Democrat Party, which was shortened to its final form in 3752. This name was frequently used by both supporters and critics of the party in non-official contexts, even after its change. From its inception, Amir Özarin dominated the party's management and image. However, in 3756, the party was forced by the Constitutional Court to dissolve, due to its authoritarian nature. History Background and founding The Democrat Party traces its origins in the pro-democracy civil groups active during the 3730s and 40s. The then-anti-corruption advocate Amir Özarin and a group of his closest associates founded in 3751 what was initially called 'Özarin's Democrat Party'. As the group rapidly expanded its support base, Özarin's name was eventually dropped from the party's official title. However, the abbreviation ÖDP was retained. Largely due to the vast public dissatisfaction with the established political leaders at the time, the new party quickly grew in terms of both membership and electoral support. Regional elections of 3752 By 3752, the Democrat Party had established itself as a major force in the southern and western regions of Malivia. The large cities in Darashin and Bulkurina were the first major strongholds of the ÖDP. That year, elections were to be held in 10 of the 20 provinces – 5 of these were ultimately picked up by the Democrat Party. Election night 3752 marked the first electoral breakthrough for the party. Dominance post-3753 In the run-up to the parliamentary elections scheduled for May 3753, the Democrat Party forged a wide-spanning electoral alliance with over a dozen other parties. In April that year, opinion polls showed the new coalition with over 70 % support among the determined voting citizens surveyed. Amir Özarin was fielded as the party's presidential candidate. On election day, Özarin was elected President of the Republic unopposed, and the alliance received a supermajority in the parliamentary election; in regional races across Malivia, the ÖDP won 9 of the 10 regions at stake. Forced dissolution Following the ÖDP landslide victory in the 3756 Artanian Parliament elections, an opposition group filed a case against the party in the Constitutional Court, citing their alleged authoritarian tendencies. To the surprise of all parties involved, the case was won by the opposition; the Constitutional Courts ordered the shut-down of the party and the arrest of over 60 of its top members. The latter sentences were handed out based on only partially related corruption charges. Ideology and factions The Democrat Party was originally intended by its founding members to be a center-left, social-democratic party. In the first years of the 3750s, the party campaigned with traditional socialist slogans, and in 3753 the Democrats applied for membership in the Socialist International. However, as the party spent time in government, the ÖDP gradually abandoned its leftist image, and instead adopted a pragmatic, populist and nationalist image. Despite this, different factions existed within the party, each centered around a leader or an ideological current. *'Malivian Dawn', nationalist faction led by Amir Özarin *'New Forces', social-democratic faction led by Atiye Anüroğlu *'Republican Bloc', conservative faction led by Samparon Dieclütin Election results Parliamentary elections Artanian Parliament elections Prominent members Party leaders *Amir Özarin (3751 – 3756) Prime Ministers *Atiye Anüroğlu (3753 – 3755) *Ekmeleddin Darem (3755 – 3756) Presidents *Amir Özarin (3753 – 3760)